REPORT 


HOW  OUR  TAXES 
MAY  BE  REDUCED, 

OUR  RESOURCES  DEVELOPED, 

AND  THE 

LOCAL  GOVERNMENT  IMPROVED. 

OUR  WHARVES  AND  PIERS,  MARKETS,  PUBLIC  PROPERTY,  Sec,  &c. 

IMPORTANT  INFORMATION  FOR  EVERY  TAX  PAYER. 


The  great  question  of  the  day  is  "Retrenchment,  and  intelligent, 
thorough,  comprehensive  Reform." 


NEW- YORK : 
IPu/blished.  by  trie  Citizens'  Association, 
No.  813  BROADWAY. 

1868. 


X 


IE*  ICtbrta 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


~t '  'Tort  nUutu  d.m/lerda.m.  oj>  Je  MLanhatans 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  hook 

Because  it  has  heen  said 
" Sver'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  hook.'' 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
(hi  i  <>i  Si  ymour  B.  I)i  rsi  Old  York  LIBRARY 


R  E  I>  O  R  T 

OF 


HOW  OUR  TAXES 
MAY  BE  REDUCED, 

OUR  RESOURCES  DEVELOPED, 

AND  THE 

LOCAL  GOVERNMENT  IMPROVED. 

OUR  WHARVES  AND  PIERS,  MARKETS,  PUBLIC  PROPERTY,  Jsc,  to. 

IMPORTANT  INFORMATION  FOR  EVERT  TAX  PATER. 


The  great  question  of  the  day  is  "  Retrenchment,  and  intelligent, 
thorough,  comprehensive  Reform." 


NEW-YORK : 

Published,  by  tlie  Citizens'  Association, 
No.  813  BROAD  WAT. 

1868. 


M 
VIS 

m 


REPORT 


OF 

THE  CITIZENS'  ASSOCIATION. 


HOW  OUR  TAXES  MAY  BE  REDUCED,  OUR   RESOURCES  DE- 
VELOPED, AND  THE  LOCAL  GOVERNMENT  IMPROVED. 

OUR  WHARVES  AND  PIERS,  MARKETS,  PUBLIC  PROPERTY, 

ETC.,  ETC.,  ETC. 

The  Citizens'  Association  of  New-York  was  organized 
in  1863,  for  the  purpose  of  reforming  abuses  in  the  Muni- 
cipal Government  It  has  long  since  ceased  to  be  an 
experiment,  and  has  developed  into  a  movement  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  the  welfare  of  our  city.  It  has 
inaugurated  reforms  of  the  most  vital  character,  many  of 
which  are  too  well  known  to  our  people  to  need  other  than 
a  passing  mention.  It  points  to  its  record  of  four  years  as 
one  in  every  way  calculated  to  encourage  sanguine  hopes 
of  the  success  of  its  plans  for  the  future. 

THE  ASSOCIATION  TAKES  NO  PART  IN  POLI- 
TICS, DOES  NOT  MAKE  NOMINATIONS,  AND  IS 
IN  NO  WAY  CONNECTED  WITH  ANY  PARTY 
ORGANIZATION.  IT  DEALS  WITH  MEN  AFTER 
THEY  GET  INTO  OFFICE. 

TO  REDUCE  TAXATION. 
The  Association  is  engaged  in  perfecting  a  carefully  pre- 
pared plan  whereby,  by  developing  every  legitimate  source 
of  income,  our  local  government  may  become,  in  a  great 
measure,  self-sustaining. 


4 


New -York  to-day,  with  public  property  worth  about 
$200,000,000,  consisting  of  parks,  markets,  Croton  Aque- 
duct works  and  real  estate  connected  therewith,  wharves, 
piers  and  ferries,  from  which  a  large  income  should  be  de- 
rived, is  in  debt  to  the  amount  of  $42,142,176.50,  and  is 
compelled  to  raise  by  tax  upon  the  estates  of  citizens  seven- 
eighths  of  the  sums  necessary  to  conduct  its  affairs. 

To  decrease  taxation,  the  debt  should  be  lessened,  the 
revenues  increased,  and  the  expenses  of  the  government 
curtailed. 

STANDING  DEBT. 

V.  To  reduce  our  Standing  Debt 

This  amounts  to  $42,142,176.50,  upon  which  the  interest 
is  over  two  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars  per  annum. 

There  is  now  in  the  Sinking  Fund,  for  the  redemption  of 
the  city  debt,  $15,000,000. 

This  amount  should  be  at  once  applied  to  paying  off 
that  indebtedness.  This  would  leave  a  total  debt  of 
$27,142,176.50. 

The  market  property  of  the  city,  estimated  to  be  worth 
about  $5,000,000,  should  be  sold,  and  the  proceeds  applied  to 
paying  off  the  debt ;  this  would  leave  a  debt  of  $22,142,176.50 
to  be  provided  for.  Of  this  amount  there  are  $10,782,800 
on  account  of  the  original  cost  of  the  Croton  Aqueduct  and 
works. 

The  Croton  Water  debt  should  be  paid  from  the  Croton 
Water  income  alone.  This  is  a  basis  of  revenue  able  to 
take  care  of  its  own  debt,  and  leave  a  large  surplus  revenue. 

The  debt  would  thus  be  reduced  to  about  $11,359,376.50. 

The  other  saleable  property  owned  by  the  city  could  be 
disposed  of  for  about  $2,000,000,  thus  leaving  a  debt  of 
$9,000,000,  incurred  on  account  of  the  Central  Park  im- 
provement, to  represent  which  we  have  the  Park,  worth,  at 
least,  seventy-live  millions. 

This  balance  of  our  debt,  viz.,  nine  millions,  should  be 


5 


funded  in  a  long  stock,  known  as  The  Central  Park  Im- 
provement Stock,  of  30,  31,  32,  33,  34,  35,  36,  37  and  38 
years,  which  would  make  just  one  million  mature  each 
year,  to  be  raised  and  paid  by  tax ;  the  interest,  in  the 
mean  time,  to  be  annually  raised  by  tax  and  paid  by  the 
Comptroller;  and  the  Sinking  Fund,  with  all  its  waste  and 
heavy  expense,  together  with  the  sinecure  office  of  City 
Chamberlain,  abolished. 

REYEXUES. 

2.  The  next  step  is  to  increase  the  City  Revenues. 

The  revenue  for  the  use  of  Croton  Water  should  be  made 
to  pay  the  interest  on  that  debt,  to  lay  aside  enough  an- 
nually to  liquidate  the  principal  when  due,  and  to  }'ield 
about  one  million  yearly  to  the  tax  fund,  in  addition  to 
paying  the  current  expenses  of  that  department.  The  pre- 
sent low  rates  for  Croton  Water  were  fixed  shortly  after  it 
was  introduced,  and  only  amounts  in  first-class  dwellings 
to  about  half  a  cent  for  one  hundred  gallons,  which  is  next 
to  nothing. 

Large  express  companies,  hotels,  stage  companies,  rail- 
road lines,  which  now  pay  but  a  mere  pittance  into  the 
treasury  for  the  privileges  and  advantages  they  enjoy, 
should  be  required  to  pay  what  is  just  and  fair. 

Authority  should  be  obtained  from  the  Legislature  to 
impose  a  license  tax  upon  the  cars  of  the  city  railroads. 
These  companies  enjoy  the  public  streets  for  their  business 
as  a  monopoly ;  they  make  large  profits,  and  should  pay 
for  the  privileges  they  possess. 

There  are  thousands  of  persons  doing  business  in  this 
city  who  do  not  contribute  one  dollar  towards  the  expenses 
of  our  local  government  for  accommodations  which  they 
enjoy  equally  with  our  tax-payers.  They  live  in  the  neigh- 
boring counties  and  States,  and  thus  escape  the  burdens 
which  they  should  justly  bear.    A  direct  tax  should  be 


6 


imposed  upon  all  such  persons,  graduated  according  to  the 
amount  of  business  transacted.  These  classes  of  indivi- 
duals, by  living  out  of  the  city,  but  yet  doing  business  in  it, 
get  rid  of  paying  a  personal  tax  here,  thus  bearing  no  pro- 
portion of  the  public  burdens,  but  enjoying  all  the  public 
accommodations  precisely  as  much  as  citizens  who  now  pay 
for  all  these  privileges. 

From  the  last  three  sources  an  annual  income  might  easily 
be  derived  of  $2,000,000,  and  from  such  sources,  in  nearly 
all  our  large  cities,  income  is  derived. 

EXPENSES  OF  GOVERNMENT. 

3.  The  next  step  is  to  decrease  the  expenses  of  the  Local 
Government. 

All  distinctions  between  city  and  county  should  be 
abolished,  thus  getting  rid  of  two  sets  of  officers  doing  the 
same  general  work  in  the  same  territorial  limits,  and  of 
large  expenses  caused  entirely  by  a  dual  government.  At 
least  one  million  of  dollars  would  thus  be  saved. 

The  expenses  of  the  police  should  be  reduced.  It  is  ad- 
mitted that  as  good  men  can  be  obtained  for  the  force  for 
$900  per  year  as  for  $1,200,  which  is  now  paid.  This,  upon 
the  present  force  of  2,000  men,  would  be  a  saving  of 
$600,000  per  year. 

From  a  careful  analysis  of  the  expenditures  of  the  De- 
partment of  Public  Instruction,  the  Association  is  of  opinion 
that  this  Department  could  be  efficiently  conducted  for  two 
and  a  half  millions  of  dollars  per  annum. 

The  expenses  of  the  local  government  can  be  reduced 
nearly  another  million  of  dollars  by  making  our  courts  of 
justice  self-sustaining.  This  can  be  done  by  the  institution 
of  a  plan  which  shall  require  all  those  persons  who  use  the 
courts  to  pay  the  expense  thereof.  Our  courts  now  cost  us 
nearly  $800,000  per  year,  and  the  city  receives  but  $100,000 
in  fees,  &c.,  therefrom. 


7 


In  our  courts  there  are  35  judges,  100  clerks  and  89  offi- 
cers (the  police  acting  as  officers  for  the  criminal  and  police 
courts). 

Each  year  about  2,500  cases  in  the  Supreme  Court  are 
put  on  the  calendar;  in  the  Superior  Court  about  600,  in 
the  Common  Pleas  about  600,  in  the  Marine  Court  about 
5,000  suits  are  brought  annually,  and  in  the  petty  civil 
courts,  together,  about  12,000.  These  amount  to  over 
20,000,  which  number  must  be  increased  by  some  3,000 
additional  suits  which  never  go  on  the  calendars. 

For  some  30,000  litigants  this  expense  of  §800,000  is 
borne  by  the  community  at  large;  wThereas  a  very  small 
tax  on  the  litigants  themselves,  which  would  be  perfectly 
just,  would  defray  the  expense. 

Another  portion  of  the  plan  is  to  reduce  the  costs  of  the 
courts. 

The  other  expenses  of  the  local  government  can  be  re. 
duced  an  additional  million  of  dollars  by  a  judicious  con- 
traction of  expenditure. 

The  expenses  of  the  local  government  upon  the  basis  of 
the  expenditures  of  1866  would  be  as  follows : 


Metropolitan  Commissions   $4,174,106  32 

Common  Council   3,908,582  62 

Board  of  Supervisors   1,757,780  00 

Charities  and  Correction   1,067,889  08 

Board  of  Education   2,539,327  54 

Principal  and  Interest  on  Debt   2,401,472  35 

State  Purposes   2,902,849  37 

Total  $18,752,007  28 

By  the  plan  of  the  Association,  the  expenses  would  be 
as  follows : 

The  Commissions...,   $3,000,000 

Public  Instruction   2,500,000 

Charities  and  Correction   1,000,000 

Common  Council   2,000,000 


8 


Cleaning  Streets   $500,000 

Interest  on  Funded  Debt   700,000 

Incidentals   500,000 

State  Purposes   3,000.000 

Total  $13,200,000 

To  meet  this  the  revenue  would  be  as  follows : 

1.  Croton  Water  revenue,  in  addition  to  the  amount  required 

in  paying  the  expenses  of  the  Department,  the  interest  on 

the  stock,  and  the  principal  a3  it  falls  due   .$1,000,000 

2.  Excise   1,000,000 

3.  Revenue  from  River  Front — Wharves,  Piers,  Slips  and 

Ferries,  when  developed   2,000,000 

4.  Other  sources  of  Revenue   2,000,000 

Total  Revenue  $6,000,000 

This  would  leave  a  total  of  $7,000,000  to  be  raised  by 
tax,  which  would  make  the  tax  less  than  one  per  cent, 
upon  the  present  valuation  of  property,  viz.,  $830,000,000. 

THE  PAST  WORK  TO  REDUCE  TAXES. 

The  most  effective  service  performed  by  the  Citizens' 
Association  has  been  rendered  in  respect  of  the  annual  tax- 
ation of  the  people  of  the  Cit}*-  and  County  of  New-York. 

It  is  eminently  proper  that  the  Association  should  explain 
in  what  this  service  consists.  It  is  undoubtedly  true  that 
the  taxes  have  increased  since  the  year  1864,  when  the  Asso- 
ciation was  fully  organized  ;  but  this  increase  has  not  been 
regular.  The  amount  in  1865  was  greater  than  that  in  1864, 
but  in  1866  it  was  less  than  the  preceding  year.  In  1867  it 
increased  in  a  wholly  disproportionate  manner,  and  solely 
from  accidental  circumstances.  It  is  steady  and  unchecked 
increase  which  marks  the  absence  of  the  watchful  eye;  but 
when  there  is  an  almost  unaccountable  fluctuation  from  in- 
crease to  decrease,  and  back  again,  there  is  evidence  of  the 
struggle  ceaselessly  carried  on  to  reduce  taxation  to  a  proper 
figure. 


9 

With  the  Tax  Bill  of  1864,  the  Association  commenced 
its  labor  to  check  the  enormous  burdens  imposed  upon  the 
people.  The  city  and  county  governments  proposed  to  raise 
over  $15,000,000  in  that  year  from  the  citizens  of  the  county. 
This  sum,  through  the  efforts  of  the  Association,  was  reduced 
nearly  $2,000,000. 

In  1805,  through  the  combinations  of' some  of  the  local 
officers,  who,  baffled  in  their  open  attempts,  resorted  covertly 
to  the  provisions  of  previously  enacted  laws  to  gain  their 
ends,  a  large  debt  was  incurred  for  judgments  confessed 
against  the  city,  which  had  to  be  paid  ;  and  debts  contracted 
for  extraordinary  expenses  during  the  war,  helped  to  swell 
the  taxes  to  the  sum  of  $18,000,000.  In  1866  the  Associa- 
tion obtained  the  passage  of  laws  which  prevented  the  repe- 
tition of  the  frauds  of  the  previous  year,  and  otherwise  cut 
down  the  levy  to  $16,950,767.88. 

In  the  present  year  the  payment  of  other  instalments  of 
loans  previously  contracted,  and  the  unavoidable  additions 
hereafter  explained,  brought  the  amount  up  again  to  the  sum 
of  $21,560,980. 

But  it  is  to  be  considered  that  the  valuation  of  the  taxable 
property  in  this  county,  during  those  years,  has  increased 
about  $200,000,000,  and  that  the  improvements  of  property 
which  were  thus  made  to  yield  their  share  towards  the 
burdens  of  government,  lessened  very  much  that  burden  on 
the  whole  community. 

In  short,  the  increase  of  valuation  in  the  taxable  property 
is  at  the  rate  of  25  per  cent,  and  the  increase  in  the  taxes 
about  33  per  cent. 

The  Association  now  calls  attention  to  the  following  in- 
teresting statements  : 

In  the  three  years  immediately  preceding  that  in  which 
the  Association  commenced  its  labors  in  this  field  the  taxes 
had  increased  by  the  sum  of  $5,600,621.76.    This,  which 
2 


10 


was  the  ratio  in  which  the  taxes  had  regularly  increased, 
gives  an  annual  increase  of  about  $1,800,000. 

Taking  the  taxes  of  1864,  at  about  $15,000,000,  which 
they  would  have  been  without  the  efforts  of  the  Association, 
and  allowing  this  regular  increase,  it  will  be  seen  that  with- 
out any  extraordinary  cause  of  increase  the  taxes  «?  1867 
would  be  about.  $20,400,000 

To  this  we  should  have  had  to  add  the  50 
per  cent,  in  salaries,  and  more  in  wages  of 
workmen,  33  per  cent,  in  pay  of  police,  etc., 
and  the  increase  of  material  of  all  kinds  for 
public  purposes  in  the  years  1864,  1865  and 
1866,  which  were  necessitated  by  the  state  of 


the  currency,  and  which  amount  to  about   3.000,000 

To  this  we  should  also  add  the  interest  on 
the  war  debt  of  the  city  and  county,  and  the 
instalments  paid  on  it,  and  the  redemption  of 
the  various  other  loans,  which  amounted,  in 
1867,  to  about  -  2,600,000 

To  this  we  should  add  the  deficiency  in  col- 
lecting the  annual  taxes  for  1866,  which  had 
to  be  raised  in  1867    615,000 

To  this  should  also  be  added  the  extraor- 
dinary addition  of  a  deficiency  in  the  State 
tax,  caused  by  the  county  being  compelled  to 
refund  taxes  on  U.  S.  securities   500,000 

And  we  should  have,  at  the  regular  rate  of 
progression,  in  this  year,  a  tax  of   27,115,000 

Instead  of  which  we  have  to  pay  a  tax  of. . .  21,560,980 


This  balance  of   $5,554,020 


represents  the  actual  saving  which  has  been  made  on  the 
tuxes  of  this  year  alone,  by  the  exercise  of  watchfulness, 
the  resolute  combating  of  peculation. 

The  results  of  this  effort  are  also  apparent  in  1866.  In 


11 


that  year,  according  to  the  table  of  progression  and  increase 
above  laid  out,  the  taxes  should  have  been.  __  $23,100,000 
But  they  were  actually   16,950,767 

Leaving  a  gain  of   $6,149,233 

It  is  respectfully  submitted  that  a  saving  of  $11,000,000 
in  the  taxes  of  two  years  only,  and  these  two  the  last,  is 
evidence  of  the  existence  of  an  agency  of  good,  potent 
enough  to  check  in  some  degree  the  march  of  extravagance, 
corruption  and  ruin. 

It  will  be  seen  that,  at  the  regular  rate  of  progression, 
which  bad  government  had  made  in  taxation,  the  Associa- 
tion points  to  a  gain  of  about  $11,000,000  in  this  and  the 
preceding  year. 

This  is  conclusive  proof  that  not  only  have  our  local 
rulers  been  defeated  in  attempts  to  extend  their  corrupt 
efforts,  but  have  actually  been  forced  into  a  great  retrench- 
ment. 

The  means  adopted  to  secure  this  end  are  explained  very 
simply. 

The  Association  organized  its  campaign  afresh  in  each 
year,  on  the  following  basis : 

First— In  the  City  of  New- York. 

1.  By  preventing  through  the  vigilance  of  the  friends  of 
reform  in  the  Common  Council,  the  immense  extravagance 
in  that  body. 

2.  By  its  watch  on  and  examination  into  the  proceedings 
of  departments  ;  checking  attempts  to  defraud. 

3.  By  its  prosecution  of  corrupt  officials,  terrifying  them 
into  economical  administration  of  their  duties. 

4.  By  applying  to  the  courts  for  injunctions  and  other 
processes,  arresting  the  consummation  of  fraudulent  con- 
tracts and  jobs. 

Second — Before  the  Governor. 

By  arraigning  delinquent  officials  who  violated  their  trusts. 


12 


Third — In  the  Legislature. 

1.  By  watching  and  preventing  the  passage  of  laws  tend- 
ing to  increase  the  burdens  of  taxation,  to  create  new  offices, 
and  to  waste  the  public  money. 

2.  By  instantly  seizing  upen  and  obtaining  the  control  of 
the  city  and  county  tax  levies  of  each  year,  as  they  are 
sent  up  for  approval,  reducing  them  and  limiting,  by  pro- 
visions in  them,  the  powers  of  the  local  rulers. 

3.  By  obtaining  and  assisting  to  obtain  the  passage  of 
independent  laws,  remodelling  the  city  government,  and 
removing  powers  from  the  local  officers  to  responsible  State 
Commissions. 

OUR  WHARVES  AND  PIERS. 

The  Association  is  actively  engaged  in  efforts  to  produce 
reform  in  the  wharf  and  pier  system  in  the  harbor  of  New- 
York.  The  commerce  of  our  country  is  rapidly  centraliz- 
ing toward  this  port,  and  accommodations  must  be  provided 
for  it  commensurate  with  its  importance.  This  Association 
took  active  steps  last  year  to  procure  the  requisite  legislation 
on  this  subject,  and  is  now  renewing  its  efforts.  A  public 
meeting  of  our  merchants  interested  in  this  reform  has  been 
lately  held  at  the  Merchants'  Exchange,  under  the  following 
call : 

THE  CITIZENS'  ASSOCIATION  OF  NEW- YORK. 

No.  813  Broadway,  ) 
October  dOlh,  1867.  J 

The  Citizens'  Association  will  hold  a  meeting  at  the  Mer- 
chants' Exchange,  52  Pine  street,  on  Friday,  November  8th, 
at  3  o'clock,  P.M.,  for  the  purpose  of  discussing  what  steps 
shall  be  taken  to  inaugurate  a  system  of  wharves  and  piers 
commensurate  with  the  present  and  future  wants  of  the  City 
of  New-York. 

The  question  is  one  of  great  national  importance.  While 


13 


our  railroads  are  being  extended  to  the  Pacific,  and  our 
steamship  lines  to  China,  no  adequate  provision  has  been 
made  within  our  city  for  the  accommodation  of  our  vast  and 
growing  commerce. 

The  interests  not  only  of  our  city,  but  our  entire  country, 
demand  an  immediate  change  in  our  wharf  and  pier  system. 

The  members  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  Produce 
Exchange,  the  Shipowners'  Association,  and  all  parties  in- 
terested, are  cordially  invited  to  attend  the  meeting,  and  pre- 
sent their  views. 


WILLIAM  WOOD. 

JAMES  BROWN. 

TAPSCOTT  BROS.  &  CO. 

MOSES  H.  GRINNELL. 

BOWL  AND  &  FROTHINGHAM. 

WILLIAM  M.  VERMILYE. 

FABBRI  &  CHAUNCEY. 

WASHINGTON  R.  VERMILYE. 

HUGH  ALLEN. 

WILLIAMS  &  GUION. 

SPOFFORD,  TILESTON  &  CO. 

A.  A.  LOW  &  BROTHERS. 

F.  W.  J.  HURST. 

WILLIAM  H.  FOGG  &  CO. 

LIVINGSTON,  FOX  &  CO. 

CHARLES  LULING  &  CO. 

J.  BOOKMAN  JOHNSTON  &  CO. 

OELRICHS  &  CO. 

MORGAN  &  TINKER. 

PICKERING  CLARK. 

CHARLES  H.  MARSHALL  &  CO. 

BARCLAY  &  LIVINGSTON. 

GRINNELL,  MINTURN  &  CO. 

H.  B.  CROMWELL  &  CO. 

PACIFIC  MAIL  S.  S.  CO. 

w.  w.  Deforest  &  co. 

per  F.  W.  G.  Bellows,  Vice-Prest. 

W^ESTON  &  GRAY. 

EDWARD  CROMWELL. 

WILLIAM  WHITLOCK,  Jr. 

LEWIS  ROBERTS  &  CO. 

N.  L.  McCREADY  &  CO. 

HORACE  GREELEY. 

STURGES  &  CO. 

DAVID  DOWS  &  CO. 

CHARLES  CAROW. 

DAVID  HOADLEY. 

THEODORE  W.  RILEY. 

PETER  COOPER. 

PARKE  GODWIN. 

JAMES  GORDON  BENNETT. 

PHELPS,  DODGE  &  CO. 

CHARLES  TRACY. 

JESSE  HOYT  &  CO. 

JOSIAH  M.  FISKE  &  CO. 

STEWART  BROWN. 

JONATHAN  STURGES. 

NAT.  L.  &  GEORGE  GRISWOLD. 

JOHN  C.  GREEN. 

JAMES  K.  PLACE  &  CO. 

THOMAS  H.  FAILE. 

SAMUEL  W.  OSGOOD. 

BENJ.  B.  SHERMAN. 

E.  W.  COLEMAN  &  CO. 

WOODRUFF  &  ROBINSONS. 

STURGES,  CLEARMAN  &  CO. 

JOSEPH  ALLEN  &  CO. 

ROBERT  C.  FERGUSON. 

BOYD  &  HINCKEN. 


14 


This  meeting  was  presided  over  by  A.  A.  Low,  Esq.,  and 
addresses  were  made  by  the  president  and  by  Messrs.  Peter 
Cooper,  Charles  Tracy,  William  E.  Dodge,  George  F.  Noyes, 
William  Wood,  and  others. 

The  following  preamble  and  resolution  were  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  meeting : 

Whereas,  The  wharves  and  piers  of  the  City  of  New- 
York  are  in  a  condition,  disgraceful  to  our  City  and 
injurious  to  our  commerce.  And, 

Whereas,  The  wharf  and  pier  system  of  this  port  is  in- 
adequate to  meet  the  public  wants,  and  is  far  behind  the 
system  that  exists  in  the  great  cities  of  Europe.  And, 

Whereas,  The  City  of  New-York  is  rapidly  absorbing 
the  foreign  trade  of  our  country,  which,  in  1865,  amounted 
to  $571,036,933,  of  which  New-York  had  $429,090,523. 
And, 

Whereas,  New- York,  by  reason  of  its  position,  is  des 
tined  to  become  the  commercial  centre  of  the  world,  and 
should  have  a  wharf  and  pier  system  that  would  be  an 
honor  to  our  city,  and  prove  commensurate  with  the  public 
wants.  And, 

Whereas,  The  question  of  providing  ample  dock  accom- 
modations for  the  trade  of  this  port  is  of  importance,  not 
only  to  the  City  of  New-York,  but  is  one  in  which  the 
whole  State  and  Nation  have  the  deepest  and  most  direct 
interest.  And, 

Whereas,  Radical  changes  are  demanded  in  our  whole 
s}'stem  of  wharves  and  piers.  And, 

Whereas,  To  properly  deal  with  a  subject  of  such  vast 
importance,  and  to  develop  a  plan  or  system  that  will 
meet  with  united  support,  it  is  necessary  that  the  shipping, 
banking,  commercial,  manufacturing  and  other  great  in- 
terests to  be  affected,  should  confer  in  reference  thereto. 
Therefore  be  it 


15 


Resolved,  That  A.  A.  Low,  James  Brown,  William  H. 
Fogg,  Peter  Cooper,  Paul  Spofford,  John  S.  Williams, 
John  Taylor  Johnston,  August  Belmont,  William  M. 
Vermilye,  Jeremiah  P.  Kobinson,  David  Dows,  'William 
B.  Astor,  John  J.  Phelps,  Joseph  W.  Alsop,  Stewart 
Brown,  William  Wood,  Jacob  A.  Westervelt,  Charles 
O'Conor,  Hugh  Allen,  Theodore  W.  Riley,  Kichard  W. 
Weston,  Charles  Tracy,  Murray  Hoffman,  Nathaniel  Sands, 
Washington  R.  Vermilye,  Samuel  U.  F.  Odell,  William 
D.  Morgan,  Charles  H.  Marshall,  Isaac  N.  Phelps,  Paul  N. 
Spofford,  Allan  McLane,  Aaron  Arnold,  Marshall  0, 
Roberts,  James  M.  Constable,  Francis  W.  G.  Bellows, 
William  B.  Dinsmore,  Edwin  Hoyt,  Howard  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodge,  John  S.  Elridge,  Francis  W.  J. 
Hurst,  Charles  Luling,  Cornelius  K.  Garrison,  William 
M.  Evarts,  Benjamin  Trask,  Robert  Mackie,  E.  P.  Fabbri, 
Jonathan  Sturges,  Adam  Norrie,  George  F.  Noyes,  Robert 
L.  Stuart,  Jonathan  Thorne,  Samuel  Sloan,  J.  F.  D.  Lanier, 
James  Boorman  Johnston,  John  Jacob  Astor,  Jr.,  Cornelius 
Vanderbilt,  Stephen  Smith,  Joseph  F.  Daly,  John  E.  Wil- 
liams, William  A.  Booth,  James  H.  Frothingham,  George 
Griswold,  James  K.  Place,  John  A.  Weeks,  Richard  M. 
Henry,  George  S.  Coe,  Le  Grand  Lockwood,  Samuel 
Willets,  George  Cabot  Ward,  Edward  Cunard,  Frederick 
Chauncey,  Benjamin  B.  Sherman,  Henry  G.  Deforest, 
Jesse  Hoyt,  Edward  Hincken,  Lewis  Roberts,  James  T. 
Tapscott,  Thomas  T.  Sturges,  David  Hoadley,  George  W. 
Duer,  James  Punnett,  William  B.  Duncan,  Thomas  J, 
Owen,  George  M.  Clearman,  Benjamin  D.  Silliman,  Charles 

A.  Secor,  Horatio  Allen,  D.  R.  Martin,  Samuel  H.  Seaman, 
William  Nelson,  Jr.,  Joseph  J.  Comstock,  Augustus  E. 
Silliman,  Edward  W.  Coleman,  Josepli  Allen,  Percy  R, 
Pyne,  Robert  L.  Taylor,  Nathaniel  L.  McCready,  Lewis 

B.  Woodruff,  Alexander  Hamilton,  Jr.,  William  F.  Cary,  Jr., 
H.  T.  Livingston,  Henry  E,  Nesmith,  Ambrose  Snow, 


16 


Pickering  Clark,  Henry  Bergb,  Solon  Humphreys,  Edward 
Cromwell,  Erastus  S.  Brown,  D.  Colden  Murray,  Henry  M. 
Taber,  Samuel  W.  Osgood,  Thomas  S.  Sandford,  Simon  F. 
Mackie  and  William  E.  Worthen,  representing  such  inte- 
rests, be  appointed  a  Committee  to  examine  the  whole 
subject,  and  to  report  as  to  the  best  means  of  inaugurating 
a  wharf  and  pier  system  in  this  port,  commensurate  with 
the  present  and  future  wants  of  our  commerce. 

SALE  OF  OUR  MARKETS. 

The  Association  has  also  in  hand  the  carrying  into  effect 
its  proposition  for  a  sale  of  the  market  property  of  the  city. 
This  property  is  now  estimated  as  being  worth  about  five 
millions  of  dollars.  The  net  annual  profit  now  received  by 
the  city  from  this  source  by  way  of  rents,  fees,  etc.,  is 
$100,000. 

The  following  statement  shows  the  amount  that  the  city 
is  annually  losing  under  the  present  system : 

If  this  property  should  be  sold,  and  the  money  invested, 
the  city  would  receive  some  $350,000  per  annum  as  interest. 
In  addition,  the  markets  being  situated  in  large  centres  of 
business  required  for  commercial  purposes,  in  private  hands 
the  property  would  be  improved,  and  would  be  worth,  at 
least,  $20,000,000.  The  city  would  receive,  by  way  of  tax 
upon  this  property,  at  the  present  rate  of  taxation,  two  and 
a  half  per  cent,  upon  the  taxable  value,  say  $250,000  per 
annum  ;  this,  added  to  the  $350,000  above,  makes  $600,000, 
against  $100,000,  now  received,  a  total  annual  gain  of 
$500,000.  The  plan  of  the  Association  is  to  use  the 
$5,000,000  to  pay  off  so  much  of  the  city  debt.  The  city 
would  then  be  receiving  a  net  tax  upon  the  property  as 
improved. 

The  Association  will  also  agitate  the  sale  of  the  markets 
on  another  ground ;  that  it  is  better  for  the  general  public 
that  the  city  should  not  remain  in  the  business.    As  long 


17 


as  the  municipal  authorities  manage  this  business,  not  only 
will  it  be  unproductive  to  the  citj7,  but  the  business  will  not 
reach  such  a  stage  of  development  as  it  would  in  the  hands 
of  private  individuals. 

If  the  municipal  authorities  would  leave  this,  as  it  does 
other  kinds  of  business,  to  private  enterprise,  markets  would 
be  erected  in  centres  of  population  where  they  are  needed, 
and  not,  as  now,  in  centres  of  business,  and  also  upon  a 
plan  commensurate  with  the  wants  of  the  people.  The 
loss  to  the  public  annually  from  the  situation  of  our  markets, 
has  been  carefully  estimated,  and  amounts  to  MORE 
THAN  THIRTY  MILLIONS  OF  DOLLARS.  The 
whole  original  principle  of  public  markets  has  been  lost 
sight  of,  and  instead  of  being  a  common  ground  where  the 
producer  and  consumer  meet  for  the  sale  and  purchase  of 
commodities,  they  have  become  mere  stands  or  stalls  for 
•hucksters,  fore-stallers  and  speculators. 

It  is  a  sound  principle  of  government  that  the  public 
authorities  should  entirely  keep  out  of  the  sphere  of  busi- 
ness ;  for,  unless  it  does  so,  private  enterprise  will  shun  that 
business,  since  private  capital  will  not  risk  itself  against  that 
of  the  Government,  which  has  the  power,  by  harsh  and  in- 
vidious distinctions,  to  ruin  millions  of  property  and  capital, 
whenever  so  inclined. 

WATCH  OYER  EXPENDITURES. 

One  of  the  most  important  duties  of  the  Association  is  to 
keep  a  constant  watch  over  every  department  and  bureau 
of  the  local  government.  The  expenditures  under  each 
head  of  appropriation  are  carefully  examined  by  an  ac- 
countant, and  the  prices  paid  by  the  officials  are  compared 
with  the  market  prices  of  the  same  articles.  When  the  As- 
sociation discovers  in  the  expenditures  of  the  public  money 
any  violation  of  law  or  excess  in  price  or  quantity,  it  pub- 
licly draws  the  attention  of  the  head  of  the  particular  depart- 
3 


18 


meDt  to  such  matters,  and  demands  that  the  proper  remedy 
shall  be  applied.  This  constant,  persistent  and  thorough 
examination  and  exposure  of  improper  conduct  has  a  very 
wholesome  effect  in  checking  official  wrong-doing.  The 
Association  has  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  decision  of  our 
courts  that  a  citizen  is  entitled  to  an  inspection  of  all  public 
papers,  books  and  documents,  which  opens  the  way  to  the 
fullest  investigation.  One  of  the  chief  reasons  why  the 
officials  have  heretofore  squandered  such  large  sums  of 
money  has  been,  that  they  could  thus  act  with  impunity — 
since  there  has  been  no  one  individual  or  body  of  men 
whose  special  business  it  has  been  to  investigate,  expose  and 
punish  official  misconduct.  Now,  however,  the  mere  exist- 
ence of  the  Association,  its  regular  examination  of  the 
expenditures  of  the  several  departments,  renders  the 
officials  careful  in  every  proceeding,  for  they  do  not  know 
when,  or  where,  or  how  the  Association  will  strike  the  next 
blow.  The  Association  would  lay  the  greatest  stress  upon 
the  necessity  of  continuing  this  scrutiny  and  supervision  of 
expenditures  as  one  of  the  best  and  surest  methods  of 
introducing  economy  and  honesty  in  the  expenditure  of  the 
public  money. 

CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTION. 

Another  important  part  of  the  work  now  before  the  Asso- 
ciation is  to  obtain  suitable  provisions  in  the  proposed  new 
State  Constitution,  for  inaugurating  a  proper  system  of  gov- 
ernment for  this  city.  The  Association  is  striving  to  have 
the  Convention  recommend  a  change  from  an  elective  to  an 
appointed  judiciary,  as  essential  to  the  pure  and  firm  ad- 
ministration of  the  laws.  It  is  in  communication  with  the 
,members  of  the  Convention  upon  this  and  other  matters — 
among  which  are:  the  prevention  of  the  abolition  of  the 
present  commissions  in  this  city;  the  making  it  a  criminal 
offence  for  the  City  Chamberlain  to  receive  for  his  own  use 


19 


any  profit  or  per-centage  upon  the  public  money;  the  giving 
to  the  Mayor  power  to  remove  commissioners  or  members 
of  State  Boards  for  cause ;  and  the  authorization  of  taxes  in 
the  City  and  County  of  New-York,  according  to  the  follow- 
ing 

PLAN  OF  RAISING  TAXES. 

TWO  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY  TAX-PAYERS,  PAY- 
ING TAXES  ON  PROPERTY  OF  THE  TAXABLE 
VALUE  OF  NOT  LESS  THAN  TWENTY  THOU- 
SAND DOLLARS,  SHALL  BE  SUMMONED  BY  THE 
MAYOR  OF  THE  CITY,  FROM  AMONG  WHOM,  IN 
THE  PRESENCE  OF  THE  PRESIDING  JUSTICE  OF 
THE  SUPREME  COURT,  TWENTY-FOUR  SHALL 
BE  SELECTED  BY  LOT,  WHO  SHALL  SIT  AS  A 
JURY. 

BEFORE  THEM  EVERY  BRANCH  OF  THE  LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT,  INCLUDING  ALL  BOARDS  AND 
COMMISSIONS,  SHALL  BE,  BY  LAW,  COMPELLED 
TO  PRESENT  THEIR  BUDGETS,  AND  ANY  TAX- 
PAYER MAY  APPEAR  AND  OPPOSE  THE 
AMOUNTS  ASKED  FOR,  GIVING  HIS  REASONS 
FOR  SO  DOING.  A  MAJORITY  OF  THE  JURY 
SHALL  DETERMINE,  AFTER  HEARING  ALL 
SIDES,  THE  SUMS  NECESSARY  TO  BE  RAISED 
FOR  ALL  LOCAL  PURPOSES,  IN  THE  CITY  AND 
COUNTY  OF  NEW-YORK,  AND  THEIR  DECISION 
SHAIV  'BE  FINAL 

rSMk  Association  is  continually  gathering  facts  and  pre- 
paring arguments  for  the  use  of  prominent  members  of  the 
Convention,  and  trusts  to  be  thereby  instrumental  in  accom- 
plishing much  lasting  good. 

As  to  the  other  important  part  of  the  work  of  the  Asso- 
ciation— the  procuring  of  legislation  abolishing  all  distinc- 


tions  between  the  city  and  county,  and  transferring  all  the 
powers  and  duties  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  to  the  Common 
Council — the  public  hardly  need  to  be  convinced  of  its  pro- 
priety. The  danger  to  be  apprehended  from  the  continuance 
of  the  county  government  can  be  readily  estimated  from  the 
fact  that  the  Board  has  already  spent  this  year  $400,000,  for 
fitting  up  armories  and  drill-rooms,  the  greater  part  of  which 
has  gone  for  the  purchase  of  expensive  and  elaborately 
carved  and  gilded  black  walnut  furniture,  &c,  and  has  ex- 
pended, with  interest,  &c,  some  $4,378,835.96  on  a  new 
county  court-house,  which  was  originally  to  cost  but  $250,000. 
Although  the  appropriation  of  $800,000  for  this  year  was 
expressly  mentioned  to  be  for  the  completion  of  the  court- 
house, yet  the  whole  of  this  money  has  been  spent,  and  the 
building  does  not  approach  completion. 

CITY  CHAMBERLAIN. 

The  Association  has  also  an  important  work  to  perform, 
in  putting  a  stop  to  the  system  whereby  the  City  Chamber- 
lain receives  annually  large  amounts  of  money  from  certain 
banks  in  this  city,  for  depositing  the  public  funds  therein. 
The  present  Chamberlain  receives  an  annual  salary  of  $23,000 
for  the  performance  of  merely  nominal  duties.  The  interest 
upon  the  average  daily  balances  in  the  Broadway  Bank 
cannot  amount  to  less  than  $80,000  per  year.  The  bank 
allows  interest  upon  such  balances  at  the  rate  of  4  per  cent. 
To  obtain  this  balance,  large  and  unnecessary  amounts  of 
money  must  be  borrowed  by  the  city,  for  wh*  7'  the  city 
pays  6  and  7  per  cent,  interest;  it  is  then  allowea^^^main 
on  deposit,  for  which  the  bank  allows  the  4  per  cent.  ? 

TAX  LEVY. 

Another  important  part  of  the  work  before  the  Association 
is  the  preparation  of  a  suitable  tax-levy  law  for  local  pur- 
poses of  the  year  1868.    The  Association  will  prepare  a 


21 


thorough  and  exhaustive  analysis  of  every  item  of  appro- 
priation in  the  Comptrollers  budget,  based  upon  the  expen- 
ditures of  the  present  year,  and  will  also  watch  over  the 
interests  of  our  tax-payers,  by  seeing  that  the  prohibitory 
sections  of  the  present  law  are  retained  in  that  of  1868. 
Unless  ceaseless  vigilance  be, exercised,  the  amounts  of  the 
appropriations  will  be  increased  on  various  pretexts,  and  all 
the  provisions  prohibiting  excess  of  expenditure  over  appro- 
priation will  be  annulled.  By  the  efforts  of  the  Association 
last  winter,  it  was  enacted  that  the  Comptroller's  budget 
must  be  presented  to  the  Common  Council  in  January,  and 
sent  to  the  Legislature  within  three  weeks  afterwards.  This 
will  remedy  the  evils  of  the  old  system  of  sending  up  the 
budget  during  the  last  days  of  the  session,  when,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  press  of  business,  it  is  impossible  to  get  such 
a  hearing  as  the  magnitude  of  the  subject  demands. 

LAWSUITS. 

The  Association  is  also  engaged  in  carrying  on  several 
lawsuits,  involving  large  amounts  and  important  principles. 

It  is  proposed  to  commence  an  action  against  the  estate 
of  Daniel  Devlin,  the  late  City  Chamberlain,  to  recover 
the  money  paid  to  him  by  the  banks  in  which  the  city  funds 
have  been  deposited ;  no  portion  of  which  interest  was  paid 
over  to  the  city.  It  is  estimated  that  at  least  $442,500  was 
thus  improperly  received  by  Mr.  Devlin,  and  appropriated 
to  his  own  use.  To  obtain  this  amount  for  the  Chamberlain, 
at  least  $700,000  of  unnecessary  interest  must  have  been  paid 
by  the  city.  Large  sums  of  money  were  borrowed  by  the 
officials  when  the  public  wants  demanded  no  such  amounts, 
and  large  balances  were  kept  on  hand  in  the  bank,  for  the 
purpose  of  enabling  the  Chamberlain  and  his  confederates 
to  make  the  3  and  3  J  per  cent.,  allowed  by  the  bank,  amount 
to  a  round  sum  ;  wrhile  the  city  would  be  paying  6  and  7  per 
cent,  to  the  bank  or  individuals  for  the  same  balance. 


22 


If  this  suit  shall  result  successfully,  it  will  have  a  great 
tendency  to  check  similar  acts  of  misconduct  on  the  part  of 
officials ;  for  when  they  realize  that,  after  their  death,  their 
estates  may  be  forced  to  disgorge  their  ill-gotten  gains,  they 
will  hesitate  to  perpetrate  frauds  upon  the  public. 

ALBANY  LEGISLATION. 

During  every  session  of  the  Legislature,  various  schemes 
are  brought  forward  highly  detrimental  to  the  interests  of 
tax-payers.  The  Association  proposes,  this  winter,  to  direct 
special  attention  to  all  such  projects,  and  to  have  able 
representatives  at  Albany  for  this  purpose.  Every  pro- 
posed law  affecting  the  interest  of  New- York  will  be  care- 
fully examined,  and  where  objections  exist  they  will  be 
stated  in  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee before  which  the  bill  comes  in  its  regular  order. 
This  letter  will  be  an  official  communication  from  the 
Association,  and  will  be  published  in  all  the  papers — thus 
calling  public  attention  to  the  law  and  the  objections  to  it. 
If  then  the  Committee  report  the  bill  favorably,  another 
letter  will  be  publicly  addressed  to  the  President  of  the 
Senate  and  Speaker  of  the  House,  protesting  against  its 
passage.  In  case,  however,  it  finally  passes  after  this  oppo- 
sition, another  letter  will  then  be  publicly  addressed  to  the 
Governor,  with  an  urgent  appeal  for  him  to  veto  the  bill. 
Such  extensive  publicity  as  this,  with  the  reasons  clearly 
and  forcibly  stated  why  the  proposed  measure  should  not 
become  a  law,  would  defeat  all  objectionable  and  injurious 
legislation. 

This  arduous  and  expensive  labor  the  Association  will 
undertake,  if  sustained  in  its  efforts  by  those  whose  interests 
it  labors  to  defend. 

PAST  WORK  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 
As  a  guarantee  of  what  it  can  accomplish  in  the  future, 
the  Association  points  to  its  record  in  the  past : 


23 


1.  Its  efforts  and  labors  to  establish  the  Board  of 
Health. 

2.  It  originated  the  Paid  Fire  Department  for  this  city. 

3.  It  co-operated  in  the  passage  of  the  Excise  Law. 

4.  It  succeeded  in  having  introduced  in  the  City  Tax 
Levy  of  1866,  several  important  prohibitory  sections,  re- 
straining the  Common  Council  from  expending  money 
beyond  the  amounts  authorized  by  the  Legislature. 

5.  It  succeeded  in  having  the  prohibitory  judgment 
clause  inserted  in  the  City  Tax  Levy  of  18G6.  In  1864, 
judgments  were  obtained  against  the  city  to  the  amount  of 
$1,200,000.    This  was  in  excess  of  the  appropriations. 

THE  BOARD  OF  HEALTH. 

For  many  years  the  friends  of  sanitary  reform  labored 
with  untiring  zeal  to  establish  in  this  city  a  Sanitary  Bureau, 
such  as  the  interests  of  the  people  and  the  prosperity  of  our 
city  demanded.  Success  finally  crowned  their  efforts,  and 
we  have  to-day  a  Board  of  Health  composed  of  men  of  pre- 
eminent professional  and  business  ability. 

The  prosecution  of  City  Inspector  Boole,  the  publication 
of  our  Sanitary  Report  upon  the  Condition  of  the  City,  and 
the  agitation  of  the  questions  connected  therewith,  were  but 
the  first  of  a  series  of  acts  that  ended  in  the  overthrow  of 
the  corrupt  City  Inspector's  Department  and  its  two  score 
of  incompetent  Health  Wardens,  and  in  the  establishment 
for  our  city  of  a  Health  Board  which  is  everywhere  acknow- 
ledged to  be  a  model  among  the  similar  institutions  in  the 
world. 

We  do  not  consider  it  necessary  that  we  should  stop  to 
recount  the  blessings  that  this  Board  has  conferred  upon  us 
all,  the  lives  it  has  saved,  the  pestilence  it  has  fought  and 
conquered  at  our  doors,  and  the  marks  of  general  confidence 


24 


felt  in  its  fidelity  to  its  mission.  We  are  too  near  the  time 
when  we  looked  to  its  efficient  action  to  protect  ourselves 
and  those  we  hold  most  dear  from  the  horrors  of  a  threat- 
ening pestilence,  to  need  to  be  told,  except  by  the  beatings  of 
our  grateful  hearts,  that  the  Board  of  Health  has  already 
earned  not  only  oar  respect  and  admiration,  but  also  the 
thanks  of  all  of  us,  for  keeping  from  our  hearthstones  the 
footstep  of  death.  While  gaunt  pestilence  stalked  through 
other  cities  less  blessed  with  proper  health  regulations,  and 
gathered  a  rich  harvest  of  victims,  he  was  here  boldly  met 
by  our  Health  Board,  fought  at  our  threshold,  followed  step 
by  step,  night  and  day,  by  ceaseless  vigilance,  and  finally, 
instead  of  becoming  a  conqueror,  was  conquered. 

THE  PAID  FIRE  DEPARTMENT. 

With  the  Paid  Fire  Department,  as  a  system,  no  one  can 
justly  find  fault;  for  there  can  be  no  more  propriety  in 
having  a  Volunteer  Fire  Department  than  a  Volunteer 
Police  Force.  It  was  very  long,  indeed,  before  the  people 
of  this  community  would  abandon  the  old  Department; 
they  felt  reluctant  to  abandon  a  system  which  in  its  day 
had  done  good  service,  and  because  also  a  portion  of  them 
were  intimidated  by  the  hue  and  cry  raised  by  the  politi- 
cians, who  feared  the  loss  of  power  if  the  Volunteer  system, 
which  had  become  thoroughly  corrupt,  was  broken  up. 
But,  like  institutions  outliving  their  dajr.  like  other  land- 
marks of  previous  generations,  the  Volunteer  Fire  Depart- 
ment was  swept  away,  and  a  system  inaugurated  equal  to 
the  advanced  position  of  our  age.  It  seems  extraordinary 
that  the  greatest  commercial  metropolis  of  this  continent, 
with- its  vast  interests,  its  wealth,  its  population,  its  spirit  of 
progress  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  its  intelligence,  its  use  in 
other  respects  of  the  forces  of  nature  to  control  the  forces  of 
nature,  should  have  been  the  last  of  the  great  cities  of  the 
world  to  realize  that — in  a  vast  community  of  persons 


2.3 


where  individuals  of  the  worst  and  lower  classes  congre- 
gate to  prey  upon  the  lives  and  property  of  others,  where 
there  is  not  only  a  great  amount  of  good,  but  an  equal,  if 
not  greater,  amount  of  evil — affairs  which  concern  the 
common  interest  of  all  must  be  made  a  matter  of  business, 
and  not  left  to  the  voluntary  and  spasmodic  efforts  of  un- 
official individuals. 

The  insurance  companies,  who  insure  §1,000,000,000  of 
property  in  the  Metropolitan  District — owned  in  every  part 
of  the  State — have,  as  we  understand,  taken  steps  to  sustain 
this  Commission,  and  would  on  no  account  recommend  a 
return  to  the  old  system,  or  to  a  system  by  which  the  Mayor 
of  the  city  would  have  the  power  to  appoint  the  Commis- 
sioners. It  was  proved  by  witnesses,  before  the  State 
Senate,  that  the  Volunteer  Department  cost  directly  and 
i  ndirectly  over  a  million  of  dollars  per  annum.  Thousands 
of  young  men  in  this  Department  were  ruined  yearly,  and 
their  suffering  wives,  mothers  and  sisters  prayed  for  the 
abolition  of  a  Department  in  which  their  husbands,  sons 
and  brothers  met  with  so  great  temptation. 

THE  EXCISE  BOARD. 

This  Board,  so  unpopular  with  the  liquor  dealers  and 
criminal  classes,  and  so  popular  and  dearly  cherished  by 
every  good  citizen,  is  composed  of  the  same  able  men  who 
compose  the  Board  of  Health.  The  Excise  Law  last  year 
brought  about  $1,000,000  into  the  treasury  of  the  city,  and 
the  same  amount  this  }rear,  upon  the  sound  principle  that 
those  who,  by  their  occupation  and  habits,  add  so  largely 
to  the  burdens  of  taxation,  must  themselves  bear  their  full 
proportion  of  that  tax.  The  necessity  of  an  Excise  Law  has 
always  been  admitted.  Is  not  the  only  complaint  against 
this  Board  that  it  has  fearlessly,  fully  and  efficiently  en- 
forced the  law  ?  Under  the  old  system  less  than  $20,000 
per  year  was  collected  from  excise. 
4 


26 


REFORMS  IN  THE  TAX  LEVY. 

6.  The  Association  succeeded  in  having  introduced  into 
the  City  Tax  Levy  of  1867,  several  important  sections,  in 
substance  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Limits  advertising  to  $50,000 ;  requires 
Comptroller  to  specify  three  daily  and  three  weekly  papers 
as  Corporation  papers,  and  prevents  papers  other  than  these 
from  obtaining  judgments. 

Section  2.  Forbids  the  transfer  of  appropriations ;  the 
incurring  of  obligations  in  excess  of  appropriations;  and 
prohibits  the  Common  Council  from  creating  new  offices 
and  increasing  the  salaries  of  present  officials. 

A  similar  provision  is  inserted  in  the  County  Tax  Levy. 

Section  3.  Prohibits  judgments  against  the  city  for  any 
matter  arising  out  of  contract  unless  the  object  is  author- 
ized by  the  act,  or  for  any  amount  beyond  the  amount 
appropriated  by  the  act ;  and  also  prohibits  judgments 
against  the  city,  except  upon  proof  in  open  court  that  the 
amount  sought  to  be  recovered  still  remains  unexpended  in 
the  City  Treasury,  to  the  credit  of  the  appropriation  for 
the  year,  to  the  specified  object  upon  which  the  claim  is 
founded. 

Section  6.  Provides  that  no  judgment  shall  be  entered 
against  the  city  on  a  contract  made  in  1866,  unless  on  proof 
that  the  amount  sued  for  is  still  unexpended,  of  the  appro- 
priation of  1866,  for  the  purpose  upon  which  the  claim  sued 
for  is  founded  ;  and  also  gives  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
First  Judicial  District  exclusive  cognizance  of  actions 
against  the  city. 

Section  7.  Provides  that  no  portion  of  the  amounts 
raised  in  1867  shall  be  expended  in  discharging  the  obliga- 
tions of  previous  years,  except  as  is  otherwise  expressly 
directed  in  such  act. 

Section  8.  Extends  the  term  of  the  present  members  of 


27 


the  Board  of  Councilmen  to  the  first  Monday  of  January, 
1869,  and  also  requires  a  three-fourths  vote  of  all  the  mem- 
bers elected  to  each  Board  to  appropriate  any  money  or 
incur  any  obligations  binding  on  the  Corporation,  and  also 
makes  a  three-fourths  vote  necessary  to  transfer  or  lease 
any  property  owned  by  the  Corporation. 

PROSECUTION"  OF  OFFICIALS,  &c. 

The  Association  also  refers  to  its  prosecution  of  several 
prominent  officials  in  this  city. 

1.  The  prosecution  of  City  Inspector  F.  L  A.  Boole, 
which  culminated  in  the  Board  of  Health,  and  destroyed 
Boole's  power. 

2.  The  presentation  of  charges  against  Corporation 
Counsel  John  E.  Devlin,  which  culminated  in  preventing 
his  re-election  to  office. 

3.  The  prosecution  of  the  charges  against  Brennan,  the 
former  Comptroller,  with  the  same  substantial  result. 

4.  The  presentation  of  charges  against  the  former  Street 
Commissioner,  Charles  G.  Cornell,  which  resulted  in  his 
resigning  his  office. 

5.  The  presentation  of  charges  against  the  former  Fire 
Commissioners,  which  resulted  in  a  change  of  Commission- 
ers, and  in  placing  the  department  upon  the  basis  of 
thorough  efficiency. 

6.  The  mandamus  obtained  against  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors, compelling  it  to  deposit  the  books  and  papers  refer- 
ring to  the  New  County  Court  House  in  the  office  of  their 
clerk  for  public  inspection. 

7.  The  mandamus  compelling  the  former  Street  Com- 
missioner Cornell  to  permit  citizens  to  inspect  the  books 
and  papers  of  his  office. 

8.  The  injunction  restraining  the  Common  Council  from 
making  a  contract  for  gas  for  the  term  of  twenty  years. 


28 


COMMUNICATIONS  TO  OFFICIALS. 
The  Association  also  refers  to  its  investigation  of  several 
important  matters  connected  with  the  local  government, 
and  to  its  communications  addressed  to  officials  calling 
attention  to  certain  abuses  ;  and  among  the  most  important 
of  these  communications  are : 

1.  A  communication  to  the  Board  of  Supervisors  in  re- 
lation to  the  expenditures  upon  armories  and  drill-rooms. 

2.  Two  communications  addressed  to  Street  Commis- 
sioner McLean,  calling  attention  to  matters  of  complaint  in 
his  department. 

3.  The  communication  to  Comptroller  Connolly  in  rela- 
tion to  our  markets. 

4.  The  communication  to  the  Board  of  Supervisors  in 
reference  to  the  County  Court  House. 

5.  A  communication  to  Chamberlain  Sweeny  in  reference 
to  the  interest  paid  to  him  by  the  banks  holding  the  public 
money. 

6.  Two  communications  to  the  Corporation  Counsel,  in 
reference  to  his  management  of  the  Law  Department. 

All  of  these  communications  were  published  in  the  daily 
papers,  and  drew  the  attention  of  the  public  to  the  several 
abuses  of  which  they  treated,  and  some  of  the  officials  to 
whom  they  were  addressed  have  promised  to  abate  the 
evils  complained  of;  but,  of  course,  promises  from  our 
officials  will  not  cause  the  Association  to  cease  its  vigilance 
or  relax  its  energy. 

If  our  capitalists  and  property  owners  would  subscribe 
more  liberally  to  the  funds  of  the  Association,  its  efforts 
could  be  made  more  effective. 

Able  engineers  should  be  employed  upon  all  public 
works,  investigating  as  to  the  expenditure  of  every  dollar, 
and  competent  legal  gentlemen  should  be  ready  to  deal 
vigorously  and  promptly  with  every  official  who  violates  law. 


29 


NOT  A  DAY  SHOULD  INTERVENE  BETWEEN 
THE  OFFENCE  AND  A  PROMPT  EFFORT  TO 
PUNISH  THE  DELINQUENT. 

THOSE  WHO  RULE  OUR  CITY  HAVE  WON 
POWER  BY  ORGANIZING  ON  THEIR  SIDE 
EVERY  ELEMENT  THAT  IT  WAS  POSSIBLE  FOR 
THEM  TO  CONTROL.  INTELLIGENCE,  CAPITAL 
AND  HONESTY  ARE  ENTIRELY  COMPETENT  TO 
PROTECT  THEMSELVES  AGAINST  THIS  ORGAN- 
IZED POWER;  BUT  TO  DO  SO  THEY  MUST 
IMITATE  THEIR  OPPONENTS,  BY  ORGANIZING 
ON  THEIR  SIDE  THE  INTERESTS  IN  FAVOR  OF 
GOOD  GOVERNMENT.  SURELY  THE  GREAT 
END  IS  WORTHY  OF  THE  EFFORT.  THE  HIS- 
TORY OF  THE  ASSOCIATION  SHOWS  WHAT 
CAN  BE  ACCOMPLISHED  BY  UNITED  EFFORT. 

Every  thousand  dollars  saved  by  the  efforts  of  the  Asso- 
ciation is  not  only  so  much  money  preserved  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  its  rightful  owners,  but  is  just  so  much  strength 
taken  from  the  corrupt  men  who  are  in  power  in  the  city. 

In  order  to  enable  the  Association  to  fulfil  its  mission, 
break  down  corruption  and  continue  its  work  of  introduc- 
ing into  the  local  government  the  important  reforms  which 
it  has  so  successfully  begun,  it  is  necessary  that  the  capital 
for  whose  protection  it  is  laboring  should  appreciate  its 
services  and  contribute  some  portion  of  the  sum  it  is 
annually  saving  towards  carrying  forward  the  work.  The 
operations  of  the  Association  have  been  conducted  with 
the  greatest  economy,  and  great  results  are  accomplished 
with  very  small  outlays  of  money.  Numerous  very  im- 
portant law  suits,  for  the  protection  of  property,  and  the 
punishment  of  official  delinquents,  have  been  carried  on. 
Engineers  have  been  employed  to  survey  our  public  works, 
accountants  have  been  kept  busily  occupied  in  examining 
the  accounts  of  the  various  departments,  and  the  expenses 


30 


of  the  government,  and  a  vast  amount  of  labor  performed 
which  it  would  be  tedious  to  recapitulate  here.  The  work 
and  labors  of  the  Association  are  too  well  known  in  their 
general  scope  and  character  to  render  it  necessary  to  dwell 
on  a  lengthy  review. 

THE  ASSOCIATION  DOES  NOT  HESITATE  TO 
PLEDGE  ITSELF  TO  GIVE  NEW-YORK  A  GOVERN- 
MENT SUCH  AS  WILL  BE  A  SOURCE  OF  HONOR 
AND  JUST  PRIDE  IN  EVERY  RESPECT,  AND  TO 
REDUCE  TAXES  TO  ONE  PER  CENT.  ON  THE  PRE- 
SENT BASIS  OF  VALUATION,  IF  CAPITALISTS 
WILL  LIBERALLY  SUSTAIN  ITS  EFFORTS,  AND 
AS  A  GUARANTEE  FOR  THIS  RESULT,  IT  POINTS 
WITH  CONFIDENCE  TO  WHAT  IT  HAS  ACCOM- 
PLISHED IN  THE  PAST. 

When  we  survey  the  improvements  in  our  local  govern- 
ment, inaugurated  by  the  Citizens'  Association,  we  can  see 
what  would  be  the  result  if  the  Association  should  close  its 
labors  and  cease  to  exist.  It  is  the  only  body  agitating 
great  questions  of  reform,  and  laboring  to  stem  the  tide  of 
corruption,  and,  if  it  should  cease  to  exist,  the  effect  on  the 
men  who  so  abuse  their  power  in  this  city  would  be  pre- 
cisely the  same  as  the  effect  upon  the  ordinary  thieves  and 
burglars,  if  the  police  should  be  disbanded.  And  this 
would  be  brought  about  by  the  operation  of  causes  which  it 
is  unnecessary  to  enlarge  upon  here.  Neither  the  Muni- 
cipal, State,  nor  National  Government,  turns  its  attention  to 
advancing  the  great  social  and  commercial  interests  of  the 
people. 

The  history  of  the  local  government  of  this  city  is  a  his- 
tory of  neglect  and  oppression,  and  it  is  only  through 
complete  organization,  such  as  we  have  in  the  Citizens' 
Association,  that  we  can  hope  for  progress  and  real  sub- 
stantial improvement. 

Nothing  is  more  erroneous  than  to  suppose,  that  a  cor- 


31 


rupt  government  in  this  city  is  a  necessity.  Neglect  and 
indifference  only  have  brought  us  where  we  are,  and  energy 
and  determination  can  alone  carry  us  where  we  desire  to  be. 

Neither  passive  endurance  on  the  one  hand,  nor  revolu- 
tion, riot  and  bloodshed  on  the  other,  will  do  it,  but  regular, 
lawful,  PERSISTENT  efforts  will  accomplish  it. 

If  our  capitalists  and  merchants  saw  it  to  their  advantage 
to  examine  carefully  this  whole  question,  and  would  place  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Association  the  requisite  funds,  corruption 
and  bad  government  could  be  crushed  out  in  two  or  three 
years,  and  our  taxes  reduced  to  one  per  cent.  The  Citizens' 
Association  has  ceased  to  be  an  experiment.  Its  four  years' 
labors  have  demonstrated,  beyond  all  question,  that,  if  pro- 
perly sustained,  it  can  successfully  cope  with  all  the  frauds 
and  corruptions  of  the  day ;  and  if  it  commanded  ample 
means  to  employ,  whenever  required,  the  most  able  men  to 
advance  along  the  wmole  line  of  corruption  at  once,  it  could 
deal  such  blows  that  the  enemies  of  honest  and  economical 
government  would  be  overthrown. 

If  the"  reduction  of  our  taxes  to  one  per  cent.,  or  even  the 
prevention  of  their  increase;  if  the  inauguration  of  a  broad 
and  comprehensive  system  of  wharves  and  piers;  if  the 
development  of  all  legitimate  sources  of  income ;  if,  in 
short,  all  the  labors  and  efforts  of  this  Association  are 
worthy  of  the  serious  consideration  of  large  capitalists, 
merchants  and  tax-payers,  the  time  for  giving  the  subject 
such  consideration  has  now  arrived. 

Any  government  the  capitalists  and  merchants  may  de- 
termine to  have  in  New-York  can  be  established.  If  good, 
wise,  economical  government  is  desired,  the  agencies  and 
appliances  only  have  to  be  used.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
every  evil  of  the  pasu  and  present  is  not  only  to  be  borne, 
but  greatly  augmented,  that  end  supineness  and  neglect 
will  bring  aJ)out.  The  great  question  of  the  day  is  retrench- 
ment, and  intelligent,  thorough,  and  comprehensive  reform. 


Will  those  who  have  large  interests  to  protect  say  that 
this  great  city,  under  a  Republican  form  of  government, 
shall,  in  all  things  appertaining  to  its  government,  present 
the  aspect  of  ruin  and  decay,  while  Paris  rises  higher  and 
higher,  as  the  great  model  city  of  the  world,  under  imperial 
rule ;  or  will  they  resolve,  in  earnest,  to  bid  New-York  be 
free,  and  make  her  the  grandest  city  of  the  world  ? 

The  power,  intelligence  and  capital  are  here  to  do  it. 
Remember,  with  good  government  we  have  nothing  to  fear, 
and  without  it,  nothing  to  hope. 

If  free  government  in  this  great  city  (and  in  cities  all 
free  government  has  originated),  which  is  an  empire  in 
itself,  shall  prove  an  utter  failure,  what  guarantee  have  we 
that  the  same  result  will  not  follow  in  all  parts  of  our 
country  as  it  becomes  thickly  populated?  And  thus  it 
may  come  to  pass  that  the  spirit  of  liberty  and  free  govern- 
ment, which  had  its  first  full  inception  in  America,  and 
gathered  to  itself  strength  and  beauty  here,  will  perish  in 
the  land  of  its  birth  ! 

RICHARD  M.  HENRY, 

Secretary. 

New- York,  813  Broadway,  February  8,  1868. 


/3* 


